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I hate to say it but that is the way they are building everywhere in the u.s now. Throw in a granite countertop and jacuzzi tub in master bath and theres your luxury estate. I gues they don't sell pvc traps where this house is cause they make p-traps, running traps, J trap and even a clear one that comes with a cap and brush to clean it (EZ Trap). Plumbing is being done with pex everywhere because one plumber can not bid a job with copper he will never get the job. Pex is better than CPVC that i can tell ya but don't say in Texas cause I live and work in Fairfield county in Ct where the average home is half a mill. At least we need licenses for everything and very strict building codes and inspections. We even have to hire an energy audit company to pressure test ductwork before passing final inspection. New code that went in to effect last January but I'm happy about it. Believe me there is stiil plenty of hackers hacking away!!

Custom homes seem to be built better- contractor is working directly for a client, rather than a spec house (build and put on market)
Custom guys are shooting for a different part of the housing market- people building theior own homes, so there's more of the builder's rep in getting the job, and sometimes it drives which subs they'll have do their work.

Par for the course around here and better than many I've seen. I'd suggest supporting the ends of the supply and return plenums to avoid plenum tear off in the fullness of time. Pulling the flex tight, suspending it and sealing it better around the supply plenum. Looks like they were a little skimpy on the blown in insulation too.

Two different AHUs. One with the primary tied into the secondary pan drain. The other with the secondary pan tied into the secondary drain. At least they had clean-outs. I would suggest a vent after the p-trap for all the traps.

I've noticed commercial work is generally to a higher standard than residential work in my area. I still see metal ductwork in commercial work. Never seen new metal in residential work.

I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.
― Benjamin Franklin

I am very happy that we don't use ductboard up north anymore. I still come across some jobs that have mostly condo's or townhouses but we still mainly use sm for all plenums, return boxes, and all trunk lines. We do use alot of flex for the individual supply and return branches but we are only allowed 12 ft of flex commercial and 15ft for residential, believe me you will still find guys who will run flex for everything but they won't last long.

What a lot of people are saying here is true. If homebuyers wanted quality product the builders would have to build quality homes. As it stands though, no, people don't really care. And that pex tubing is pretty standard now with new home construction.